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Letter of Support for Cresent Community Health Center Copyrighted June 15, 2026 City of Dubuque CONSENT ITEMS # 16. City Council ITEM TITLE: Letter of Support for Cresent Community Health Center SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval of a letter of support for the Crescent Community Health Center's application for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program under the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program. SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Approve DISPOSITION: ATTAC H M ENTS: 1. MVM Memo Support letter for Crescent Community Health Center 2. 2026.06.10 MVM letter of support CCHC 3. 26 06 09 USDA NIFA GusNIP-NI Letter Page 593 of 1594 Dubuque THE CITY QF � All•li�eriea Ciry DLT B E ��, . � �� MaSt� Z�C� alZ t�Q Mt55ZSSZ Z zoa�•zoiz•zai3 �' pp zai�*zaig TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Support letter for Crescent Community Health Center DATE: June 10, 2026 Public Health Director Mary Rose Corrigan is recommending City Council approval of a letter of support for the Crescent Community Health Center's application for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program under the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNP-NI). I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. � Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:sv Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director Page 594 of 1594 Dubuque Health Services Department THE CITY OF � City xall AnneX 1300 Main Street All-Americ�Ciiy Dubuque,IA 52001 U� L n�nH��vai cn�-i r,�.:::-�� - � � �� Office(563)589-4181 Fax(563)589-4299 TTY(563)589 4193 2007*2012�2013 health@cityofdubuque.org www.cityofdubuque.org Masterpiece on the Mississippi zoi�*zoig TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director SUBJECT: Support letter for Crescent Community Health Center DATE: June 10, 2026 INTRODUCTION This memo requests support for Crescent Community Health Center's application for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program under the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNP-NI). BACKGROUND CCHC's proposed nutrition incentive program aligns with The City of Dubuque's Comprehensive Plan, Imaqine Dubuque 2037, which specifically recommends "Explore the potential for Dubuque health providers to `prescribe' fruits and vegetables as part of a strategy to combat obesity." Mary Rose Corrigan, the City's Public Health Director, encouraged and recommended Crescent Community Health Center apply for the GusNIP-NI to help achieve this recommendation. Additionally, the City Council maintains a goal of Healthy and Safe Communities. DISCUSSION A portion of the city's contracted services grant will be used as match. The Health Services Department will assist with planning, community outreach and partnerships to align the project with the Community Health Assessments' focus on nutrition, obesity and physical activity. Because the grant application and letter of support were due June 12, 2026, I requested the city manager's signature instead of the mayors' in order to meet the deadline. RECOMMENDATION Approve the letter of support for Crescent Community Health Center's application for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program under the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNP-NI). Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork Page 595 of 1594 �UbUC�Ue City Manager's Office THE CITY OF � City xall All•America City so west 13tn screec U� � �^��cn�c u,va;i; DUbUC1U0,IA 52001-4845 � � �� Office(563)589-4110 Fax(563)589-4149 TTY(563)690-6678 2007*2012*2013 ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2o1�*Zoi9 W�.�ltyofdUbuque.org June 9, 2026 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP-NI) Dear Review Committee, On behalf of the City of Dubuque, I am submitting this letter in support of Crescent Community Health Center's (CCHC's) application for a SNAP Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program under GusNIP-NI. The City of Dubuque is committed to advancing community well-being, health equity, and quality of life. We recognize access to nutritious food is closely connected to broader community goals related to health improvement, chronic disease prevention, neighborhood stability, and the ability of residents to thrive. CCHC's proposed nutrition incentive program aligns with these goals by expanding access to healthy foods for residents who face financial barriers. The City of Dubuque's Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Dubuque 2037, was adopted in 2017, and specifically recommends "Explore the potential for Dubuque health providers to `prescribe' fruits and vegetables as part of a strategy to combat obesity." Mary Rose Corrigan, the City's Public Health Director, encouraged and recommended Crescent Community Health Center apply for the GusNIP-NI to help achieve this recommendation. Additionally, the City Council maintains a goal of Healthy and Safe Communities. The need for this effort is well established in local planning. In the 2023 Dubuque County Community Health Assessment and Health Improvement Plan (CHA-HIP), physical activity, nutrition, and obesity were identified as one of the top three priorities. This emphasizes the importance of coordinated local action to improve nutrition access for healthier outcomes. The City views CCHC's proposed program as a practical strategy to respond to an identified need while strengthening connections between healthcare, community services, and local systems that work to support residents' daily well-being. City representatives have been collaborative planning partners alongside CCHC seeking to advance food as medicine in response to these community needs. The City of Dubuque contracts $50,000 annually with CCHC to address health disparities and needs identified in the CHA-HIP. Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork Page 596 of 1594 CCHC has engaged additional community partners, stakeholders, patients, and other local collaborators in identifying needs, discussing program considerations, and shaping a model that has high potential to impact vulnerable individuals and families. CCHC's application represents an important opportunity to advance local goals related to preventive health, access to supportive services, and stronger coordination across community systems. By supporting nutrition program development in the area, this will help reduce barriers to healthy eating, reinforce community-wide health improvement efforts, and contribute to a healthier and more resilient greater Dubuque community. The City anticipates supporting CCHC's work through activities such as: • Community alignment and outreach — Support awareness of the program through City-connected communication channels and community partnerships, helping align the initiative with broader local health and wellness efforts. • Planning and coordination — Continue participating in collaborative planning and decision-making with CCHC and community stakeholders to support implementation that reflects local priorities and available resources. • Financial commitment— Through a Contracted Services grant process, provide annual financial support and matching commitment documentation as appropriate. The City of Dubuque strongly supports CCHC's overall work as a federally qualified community health center as well as the program proposed in their application. We value CCHC's leadership in bringing partners together around a clearly identified community need and in developing an approach that is responsive to local priorities, community input, and long-term health improvement goals. We respectfully encourage consideration of CCHC's application and appreciate the opportunity to support local nutrition program development. The City looks forward to continued collaboration to strengthen nutrition access and improve community health outcomes. Sincerely, �w� 'chae�Van M' ligen City Manager cc: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork Page 597 of 1594